Hassan taking it to the next level; PawSox win again

PAWTUCKET — Alex Hassan is having a memorable start to his Triple-A career.

By PAUL KENYON | | Journal Sports Writer

PAWTUCKET - Alex Hassan is having a memorable start to hisTriple-A career.

Whenever a player jumps a level in pro baseball, it is expectedthat he will go through an adjustment period in the highercompetition. Hassan's first three weeks with Pawtucket could beused as a classic example on how to adjust the right way.

The outfielder, who grew up in Milton, Mass., played for BostonCollege High and then Duke University, has adjusted beautifullyafter a slow start.

Hassan has had 10 hits in his last 27 at-bats, including hisfirst Triple-A home run, a grand slam that led the PawSox to a wild15-10 triumph over Durham Friday night. That comes after failing toget a hit in his first 17 official trips to the plate to start theseason.

The 24-year-old, who has made a steady climb in the Bostonorganization in the four years since leaving Duke, has taken it allin stride.

"I don't think it had anything to do with the level I wasplaying at," he said of his slow start. "At the end of the day,it's the same game. They need to throw strikes. When they throwstrikes, you need to make something happen. I can't really explainit, but I didn't start off very well. But I felt fine and thingsturned around.

"It can as different as you want it to be," he continued. "Ijust like to keep it simple. It's the same game, I don't care who'son the mound. If they don't throw strikes, then they're not goingto be effective. If they do, then you need to make somethinghappen. I keep it very simple. It's the same game. Certainly theplayers are better. It's a higher level, but it's the samegame."

"I'm comfortable here. I like the players, the coaching staff'sgreat. I wasn't going to go 0-for-the-whole-season. I knew thingswould turn around at some point. I'm really enjoying being on thisteam and playing with these guys."

Hassan has climbed through the system in part because oftremendous plate discipline. Through his career, he has had almostas many walks as strikeouts. Again this season, he leads the PawSoxwith 10 walks.

"Some of it is that it's just the type of player I am. I don'tknow if I go out there and try to do anything different thananybody else," he said. "I just like to go up there and trust myeyes. If it's not a strike, I try not to swing. That's the only wayI can describe it. I don't really know. I just go out there andplay. It's a by-product of my approach at the plate."

Hassan had a bad ending to his day Saturday. He was hit by apitch on the left elbow in the seventh inning. He clearly washurting as he received treatment for several minutes, but he stayedin the game.

The beat goes on

The Pawtucket offense continued belting the ball as the PawSoxbeat Durham again, 9-5, on Saturday afternoon.

Pawtucket scored at least one run in each of the first sixinnings. That followed a game in which the team scored in everyinning except the fourth on the way to a 15-10 triumph Fridaynight.

Will Middlebrooks, the third baseman who has jumped to the topof the list among all of the Boston prospects, continues to rip theball. Middlebrooks had a home run off the foul pole in right and anRBI single. He now leads the International League with 22 RBI in 17games. He is second in the league in home runs, with seven (he hashit at least one in each of the last four games). He is fourth inthe league in hitting, at .379. He has had at least two hits in 10of his 16 starts.

Pawtucket manager Arnie Beyeler is batting him sixth. He hasMauro Gomez, a free-agent signee out of the Atlanta organization,in the clean-up spot. Mauro, who takes vicious swings, has hitthree home runs in the two games on the homestand thus far. Hecrushed one over the berm in left in the first inning Saturday. Hisball whacked the Hasbro "Go PawSox sign" and ricocheted back ontothe back. Gomez has five home runs and 14 RBI and is hitting.355.

Lars Anderson joined the home run fun before the crowd of 5,095when he ripped one deep in the seats in right-center in the fifth,his first of the year.

Pawtucket now has scored 35 runs in its last three games. ThePawSox have the second-best record in the league at 12-5. Pawtucketbegan the day third in the league in pitching, with a 2.87 earnedrun average and second in both batting average (.273) and on-basepercentage (.362). It now leads the league in home runs, with22.

Smart pairing

Ross Ohlendorf picked up the pitching victory with five shutoutinnings before he tired in the sixth. He hit two batters on the wayto allowing four runs but still ran his record to 3-0. He workedwith catcher Ryan Lavarnway which created a rare all-Ivy Leaguebattery. Ohlendorf is a Princeton grad, Lavarnway a Yaleproduct.

Lavarnway reached base four times, on two hits and two walks.After a slow start, his average is up to .283.

Relief of sorts

Mark Melancon, pitching for the second day in a row, came on inthe sixth with the bases loaded. The Bulls had scored three timesoff Ohlendorf to close a 6-0 deficit to 6-3. On his first pitch,Shawn O'Malley singled to left. One run scored and the basesremained loaded.

Will Rhymes then ripped a hard one-hopper right back up themiddle. It bounced off Melancon, who then had time to retrieve itand throw to first to end the inning. Melancon then threw ascoreless seventh.

Rich Hill, in his first appearance since elbow surgery lastJune, worked the eighth. He struck out the two lefties he facedwith his big-breaking curve, but allowed a wind-blown home run toright to Nevin Ashley.